1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of drink containers and in particular to drink containers having clasping, grabbing, or holding features that enable the drink container to be accessed, such as by young children or infants, in a no-hands manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior art has demonstrated devices for holding a nippled baby bottle and also decorative devices for wrapping around a baby bottle. Prior art patents show baby bottle holders having straps that fasten around the neck of the baby in order to aid in feeding the baby. Other related patents disclose baby carrying bags in the shape of stuffed animals and activity bags for children in the shape of stuffed animals.
Such prior art bottle support devices are disclosed and depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,843 issued to Beck, U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 325,460, issued to Cameron, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,667, issued to Jimenez. Cameron, for example, illustrates a combined bib and bottle support apparatus in which a drink container holder loop is attached to the center of a body portion for supporting a typical baby bottle. A pair of hooked loop members extend from the top sides of the body portion presumably for attaching around the neck or shoulders of a child thus enabling the bottle to remain fastened to the child""s body with the body portion serving as a bib between the child""s torso and the bottle. While effective for maintaining a bottle attached to the front of the child""s body and preventing spillage or seepage on the bottle from reaching the child""s clothes or body, Cameron""s bib and bottle support apparatus results in the baby bottle nipple pointing straight up thus restricting or precluding oral access to the nipple by the child wearer.
Like Cameron, Beck and Jimenez depicted bottle support devices that include straps or loops for securely fastening a bottle-retaining container in close proximity to a child""s frontal torso. In addition, however, the Beck and Jimenez baby bottle holders incorporate bottle tilting features in the form of a wedge like member that tilts the bottle at an angle suitable for the child to have oral access to the bottle nipple without having to undue crane his/her neck. Utilization of such bottle-tilting wedges, however, is unwieldy and likely uncomfortable for young children as they feed or drink.
It can therefore be appreciated that a need exists for an improved wearable drink holder apparatus that addresses the foregoing problems with prior art baby bottle holders. The present invention addresses such a need.
The invention comprises in general a carrying device, shaped as an animal or character having a face, for holding a drinking container from which a drinking straw extends. The straw extends from the container retained within the body of the carrying device and exits through the mouth of the carrying device. Elongated strap members are located on the exterior of the carrying device so that the device can be fastened around the child""s neck, and preferably the strap members are formed as the arms, legs or ears of the animal or character. The child is able to drink from the straw while the carrying device hangs on the child""s chest, creating the effect of kissing the animal or character.
The above as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.